Injection chamber with fluid heat transfer medium



l. B. LAWYER 2.198.703

Filed sept. ze, i958 2 Sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR tgl/ruff@ l 96./

A TTORNEYH April ,"194o.

INJECTION CHAMBER WITH FLUID HEAT TRANSFER MEDIUM April 30, 1940. "L a. LAWYER INJECTION CHAMBER- WITH FLUID HEAT TRANSFER MEDIUM Filed sept. 26, .195e

v2 Smets-Sheet 2 A TTORNE K5 I Patented Apr. 30, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-lcs INJECTIONTCHAMBER WITH FLUID HEATv This invention relates to RANSFER DIEDIUM Application September 26, 19138, Serial No. 231,637

17 Claims.

plastic injection moulding machines and, in particular, to devices for injecting the plastic moul the moulds.l

ding material into One object of this invention is to provide an injection chamber with a heating device and a fluid medium for transferring the heat from the heating device to the chamber walls.

Another objectis to provide an injection chamber having means for circulating a fluid heat transferring medium therearound and baille devices for facilitating the circulation of the me,- 1

dium within the chamber.

Another object is to provide an injection chamber having a heating device within the chamber and a fluid heat transfer medium circulating between the heating device walls.

and the chamber Another object is to provide an injection chamber. as described above, wherein the heating of the heating device is controlled in response to the action of a control instrument having a portion thereof inserted in the fluid medium.

Another object is to provide an injection chamber of the type described above, having means associated therewith for assisting the circulation of the uid medium. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the injection device of this invention;

Figure 2 is a cross section along the line 2--2 in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a wiring diagram of theelectrical heating of the material to b e injected had to be accomplished in a very accurate manner in order to render it plastic. Any

appreciable varia- A tion from theheating condition desired resulted in disturbances in the mouldl ng cycle and consequently resulted in the production of defective moulded articles.

If the plastic material is he degree, the material becomes ated to too high a excessively plastic so that, when it is injected into the mould, it ycauses the mould halves to separate, thereby producing a film of plastic mate rial on the article at the parting line of the moulds of the mould halves, this defect beingl known as flash to persons in the moulding art. hand, the' mould material is no If, on the other t heated sumciently to render it suitably plastic, the material may be insuicientlyv plastic to fill the mould halves properly, especially if the mould contains acavity with intricate portions therein.

Hitherto, when an electrical heating element 5 was used to heat the injection chamber, it was usually applied directly around the heating chainber and in contact with it. With this arrange'- ment, however, the heating intensity varies at different points because the heating element prol duces a high degree of heat at the element, but has no adequate provision for distributing the heat. It has also been found, moreover, that the exact temperature in this arrangement can` not be easily determined by instruments, because `l a time lag occurs' Vbetween the arrival of the chamber at a certain temperature and the action v of the heat indicating instrument. Even where the sensitive element of the instrument` has vbeen inserted in a caivity in the chamber wall,or in 20 the body of the/element, a variation between the., actual temperature of the' chamber' and the teinperature of the element has been found to occur. With the heating controlled in accordance with the temperature of the instrument therefor, the temperature controlled has not been in agree-l ment with the actual temperature existing so that the plastic material becomes more plastic than is desired before the control instrument cuts off the heat, thereby producing the flash previously mentioned. On the other hand, after the heat A'has been cut off or reduced and the plastic material in the "chamber cools, itis like- 1yl to cool to an undesired amount before the control instrument again turns on the heat, thereby producing inadequate filling of the mould.

Hitherto, when the injection chamber :was heated by circulating a heated fluidl medium through a heating jacket around the injection chamber, the fluid medium was heated in a sepo arate container and circulated by means of a pump- Y In this arrangement, heating was regulated by a control instrument, the sensitive bulb of which was inserted in the fluid stream. This arrangement, however, requires considerable equipment including the piping and the pump and is less efficient because of the heat lost in the circulating system. The additional expense incident to the maintenance of the additional equipment required and the additional cost thereof is also a. detriment'.- l

The present invention combines the advantages of a heating device directly A.adjacent the chamber walls' and a fluid medium to conduct the heat u from the heating device rto the chamber walls. The sensitive bulb of the control instrument is inserted in this fluid medium and gives an accurate measurement and control of the temperature actually existing at the chamber walls. Baiiles are provided to facilitate the circulation of the I4. The casing Id also contains a jacket or annular chamber I5 for the circulation of a cooling fluid. This is for the purpose of preventing premature melting of the moulding material. An insulation layer I9 is provided at the end of the casing III to prevent the transmission of heat into the casing III. rIl'he moulding material to be rendered plastic is placed in the hopper II and falls into the bore I3 through the aperture I2, from whence it is injected by means of the movable plunger I1 into the heating chamber I3 within the heating casing I9. The latter is secured to the casing Ill by the screws 20, being separated therefrom by the insulating partition I3 previously mentioned.

The chamber I3 is enlarged as at 2| and is there provided with a spreader 22 for causing the plastic material to traverse an annular path through the chamber portion 2|. Beyond this, the material passes through the diagonally directed passages 23 in the nozzle 24. These passages unite in the common passage 25 at the rounded tip 26o! the nozzle 24. 'Ihe rounded tip 26 engages a correspondingly rounded depression 25 between the mould halves 21 and 29 and communicates with the passage 29 leading into the mould cavity 30.

Arranged adjacent and immediately outside the heating casing I9 are heating elements 3|, preferably electrical heating elements. These heating elements y3| are shown as arranged in partially cylindrical form so as to closely approach the outer surface of the heating casing I9. e-- yond and outside of the heating elements 3i are' semi-cylindrical badles 32 having lower and upper passageways 33 and 34 therebetween (Figure 2).

Inserted in the upper passageway 34, between the bailies 32, isv the sensitive bulb 35 of a control instrument generally designated 33 and communicating therewith by the tube 31 (Figure 1). Surrounding the bailies 32 and spaced apart therefrom is.an outer casing 33, around which is a heat insulationl layer 31. Arranged adjacent the device is an expansion tank 39 having a vent 40 therein and a fluid gauge window 4I for indicating the level of fluid in the expansion tank 39. A passageway 42 runs from the expansion tank 39 to the interior of the outer casing 38. The righthand end of the chamber is closed by the anged portion 43 and thelefthand end by the annular end wall 44. The b'ames 32 are preferably hollow so as to provide a dead air space therein for impedng the transfer of heat therethrough.

The electrical circuit (Figure 3) consists of an indicating thermostat which is the control instrument 36 previously referred to, a relay 45, a control switch 46, and a contactor 41. The exact arrangement of the heating circuit, ho'wever, is immaterial to the purposes of the invention and may be of any desired type. Current for heating the heating elements 3| is received from the power lines 49 and 49. the same current being employed for operating the control circuit.

'I'he operation of the electrical circuit is described subsequently in more detail.

In the operation of the invention. assuming that the fluid ris in a state of rest, electricity is supplied to the heating elements 3l, whereupon the fluid immediately adjacent the heating element 3| becomes heated and expands and rises to the top of the chamber through the passageways between the baiiles 32 and the chamber I9. The heavier cold fluid in the outer space outside the bailles 32 displaces the rising heated fluid and passes through the passageway 33 between the bailles into the space previously occupied by the now heated fluid. I'he latter upwardly through the upper passageway 3 having lost vsome of its heat, depending upon the amount of cold material that is being introduced into the bore I9. -Thus, a circulation by convection currents is established 'upwardly through the space between the chamber walls I9 and the baffles 32 and downwardly outside these bailles as indicated by the arrows in Figure 2. Even though the fluid cools slightly in rising around the injector chamber walls I9, it is forced upwardly by the rising cooler fluidl coming through the lower passageway 33.

The bailies 32, as previously stated, prevent the mixture of the currents of heat-transmitting 'fluid and also prevent heat transfer between the outer and inner spaces, which would tend to hinder the movement of the fluid. So long as heat is being absorbed by the material in the bore I3 and chamber 2| as fast as it is being given oil by the heating elements 3I, the temperature of the heat-transmitting medium, such as steel, does not rise and hence the sensitive bulb 35 of the control instrument 39 does not operate the latter to cut on the heat. As soon as the temperature rises past the critical point. such as when less heat is absorbed by the plastic material than is given ofi' by the heating element, the temperature rises until it exceeds the setting of the control instrument 33, whereupon the latter is actuated in response to the temperature of the sensitive bulb 3l and reduces or cutsl ci! the supply of current to the heating elements 3i.

As soon as the temperature oi the heat-transmitting fluid or oil drops below a predetermined temperature, however, the control instrument 39 operates lto close the heating circuit again so that the heating'elements 3| resume their heating function. Thus, in this manner. the fluid transmits the heat from the heating elements in an even manner to the walls of the heating chamber and an accurate temperature is transmitted to the sensitive bulb 39 of the control instrument 34.

The baffles 32 guide the heated fluid upwardly past the outer walls of the heating casing I9 and then downwardly in the outer space adjacent the outer casing 33. Any additional fluid required is immediately received through the passageway y42 from the expansion tank 39, and any excess fluid passes outwardly through passageway 42 into the tank 39.

In the electrical operation, the thermostatically movable switch member 59 moves to the right upon a fall in temperature and moves to the left upon a rise in temperature. When the temperature falls below the predetermined low temperature, the thermostatic switch element 99 interconnects the lines 5I and l2, thereby closing the circuit by way of the line il, the switch 49.

l1 o! the relay 45,

the operating coil the line Il, the line l2, the line 66, the switch 46, the line 69, and the power line 46. When thus energized, the relay 45 closes, and its upper and lower switch blades 60 and 6l close upon their contacts. The upper switch blade 66, when thus closed, likewise closes the circuit from the power line 46, through the line 56, the switch 46, the line 56, the switch blade 60, the line 62, the operating coil 63 of the contactor 41 and the line 64 leading to the power line 49.

When thus energized, the contacter 41 closes, and its switch blades 65 and 66 close upon their contacts. This closes the circuit for energizing the heating elements 3i from the line 48 through the switch blade 55, the line 61, the heating element 3i, the line 68, and the switch blade 6 6 to the power line 49, completing the circuit. When the temperature rises, the thermostatic switch element 60 of the control instrument 36moves to the left.

While the relay 45 remains closed, the lower switch blade 6l maintains the energization of the voperating coil 51 without the necessity Hof the current passing through the sensitive control instrument 36, the circuit being completed from the power line 49 through the line 53, the switch 46, the line 54, the coil 55, the line 56, the operating coil 51, the switch blade 6l; the line 5l, the switch 46 and the line 59 to the power line 48.

When the desired temperature has been exceeded the thermostatic switch element moves to the left. Coil 51 still remains energized. As soon however as contact isestablished between lines 5i and line 80, a circuit is set up through 56, 58, switch blade 6I, line 5I, switch element 50, thence through line 80, line 56, through 55, 54, and 53 to line 46. This shorts out the coil 51 with the result that switch blades 6l and 6u open, thus de-energizing thepilot circuit and hence the heater circuit. is a resistor to prevent an excessive current from rushing through the lines with damaging results. Without resistor 55 there would be a dead short through the circuit just described.

.The fact that the thermostatic switch element moves very slowly instead of with the quick make and break action ordinarily built into switches makes necessary the foregoing arrangement. Quick make and break is to prevent arcing which is damaging to the contacts. Arcing occurs when breaking a circuit, but in the present arrangement it will be noted that at no time is a line circuit broken when 50 moves.

The modification shown in Figure 4 is similar to the form of the invention shown in Figure 2, except that forcible circulation of the iiuid is provided and convection currents need not be depended upon for the entire circulating effect. In this modification, the ends of the baffles 32 are provided with semi-cylindrical portions 'l0 having cavities 1i facing one another to provide a housing for a pair of shafts 12 and 13 running longitudinally through the apparatus.

Mounted on the 14 having projecting ridges 15 arranged to mesh with corresponding grooves 16 in an elongated drum 11 mounted upon the shaft 13. The shafts 'i2 and 13 are interconnected by external gearing (not shown) and driven so as to provide forcible pumping of the fluid vertically through the spaces 18 and 19 between the oppositely facing members 10.

If the piston member 14 and shaft 12 rotates in a counterclockwise direction, the fluid is cirthe use u, con u. menne n.

, ,iaavos 1 shaft 'l2 is a rotary-piston of the arrows from the culated in the direction space outside the baiiies 32 into the space'i'n'slde the baiiiesand on vopposite sides of the heating elements 3|.

It will be evident that the grooved drum 11 may be omitted and the rotary piston 14, .16 be caused to iill most of the space within the oppositely facing cavities 1| so as to provide a simple impeller at a somewhat lower efficiency than the pumping Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an injection device for plastic injection moulding machines, an injector casing, a heating device illustrated in Figure 4.

element outside said casing, an outer casing outside said heating element, means for circulating a heat-transmitting iluid ,through the space between said casings, and baiiieswithin said space for guiding the circulating fluid.

2. In an injection device for plastic injection moulding machines, an injector casing, a heating element outside said casing, an 'outer casing outside said heating element, means for circulating a heat-transmitting fluid through the space between said casings, and baiiles arranged between said heating element and said outer casing for guiding the circulating iiuld.

3. In an injection device' for plastic injection moulding machines, 'an injector casing, a heating element outside said casing, an outer casing outside said heating element, means for circulating a heat-transmitting iiuid through the space between said casings, and bailles arranged between said heating element and said outer casing for guiding the circulating fluid, said baiiles being 'of heat insulating construction.

4. In ,an injection device for plastic injection moulding machines, an injector casing, aheating element outside said casing, an outer casing outside said heating element, means for circulating a heat-transmitting huid through the space between said casings, and baffles arranged between said heating element and said outer casing for guiding the circulating fluid, said baiiies having hollow chambers therein for impeding the transmission of heat therethrough.

5. In an injection device for plastic injection moulding machine, an injector casing, a heating element outside said casing, an outer casing outside said heating element, means for circulating a heat-transmitting iiuid through the space between said casings, baffles within said space for guiding the circulating fluid, and control means responsive to the fall of temperature within said space below a predetermined minimum temperature for energizing said heating element.

6. In an injection device for plastic injection moulding machines, an injector casing, a heating element outside said casing, an outer casing outside said heating element, means for circulating a. heat-transmitting fluid through the space between saici casings, baffles within said space for guiding the circulating uid, and control means responsive to the fall of temperature within said space below a predetermined minimum temperature for energizing said heating element and responsive to a rise of temperature in said space above a predetermined maximum temperature for de-energizing said heating element.

7. In an injection device for plastic injection moulding machines, an injector casing, a heating element outside said casing, an outer casing outside said heating element, means for circulating a heat-transmitting fluid through the space between said casings, and a fluid supply reservoir immediately adjacent said outer casing.

8. In a heating device for plastic injection moulding machines, a tubular heating casing, a tubular outer casing surrounding said heating casing and spaced apart therefrom, a heating element in the space between said casings, a fluid medium in said space for transmitting the heat from said heating element to said heating casing, and baille means arranged in said space for directing 'the circulation of said fluid medium.

9. In a heating device for plastic injection moulding machines, a tubular heating casing, a tubular outer casing surrounding said heating casing and spaced apart therefrom, a heating element in the space between said casings, a fluid medium in said space for transmitting the heat from said heating element to said heating casing, Aand a curved baille arranged in said space between said casings for directing the circulation of said fluid medium.

10. In a heating device for plastic injection moulding machines, a tubular heating casing, a tubular outer casing surrounding said heating casing and spaced apart therefrom, a heating element in the space between said casings, a fluid medium in said space for transmitting the heat from said heating element to said heating casing, and a curved baffle arranged in said space between said casings and outside said heating element for directing the circulation of said fluid medium.

11. In a heating device for plastic injection moulding machines, a tubular heating casing, a tubular outer casing surrounding said heating casing and spaced apart therefrom, a heating element in the space between said casings, a fluid medium in said space for transmitting the heat from said heating element to said heating casing, and a curved baille arranged in said space between said casings and outside said heating I element for directing the circulation of said fluid medium, said baille extending substantially from the bottom to the top of said space and dividing vsaid space into outer and inner chambers for facilitating the circulation of cold and hot uid respectively.

12. In a heating device for plastic injection moulding machines, a heating casing, an outer casing surrounding said heating casing and spaced apart therefrom, a heating element in the space between said casings, a fluid medium in said space for transmitting the heat from said' heating element to said heating casing, and means for forcibly circulating the fluid through said space.

13. In a heating device for plastic injection moulding machines, a heating casing, an outer casing surrounding said heating casing and spaced apart therefrom, a heating element in the space between said casings, a fluid medium in said space for transmitting the heat from said heating element to said heating casing, and a pair of spaced semi-cylindrical baflles disposed on opposite sides of said heating chamber.

14. In a heating device for plastic injection moulding machines, a heating casing, an outer casing surrounding said heating casing and spaced apart therefrom, a heating element in the space' between said casings, a fluid medium in said spacekfor transmitting the heat from said heating element to said heating casing, and a pair of spaced semi-cylindrical bailles disposed on opposite sides of said heating chamber and between said heating element and said outer casing.

l5. In an injection device for plastic injection moulding machines, an injector chamber, an injector plunger therein, a heating casing having a heating chamber in communication with said injector chamber, an outer casing surrounding said heating casing, a heating element in the space between said casings, a fluid heat-trans mitting medium in said space, and pumping means within said heating casing for forcibly circulating said fluid heat-transmitting medium through said space.

16. In an injection device for plastic injection moulding machines, an injector casing, a heating element outside said casing, an outer casing outside said heating element, means for circulating a heat-transmitting fluid through the space between said casings, baflles within said space for guiding the circulating fluid, and pumping means Within said outer casing for forcibly circulating said heat-transmitting fluid through said space.

17. In an injection device for plastic injection moulding machines, an injector chamber, an injector plunger therein, a heating casing having a heating chamber in communication with said injector chamber, an outer casing surrounding said heating casing, a heating element in the space between said casings, a fluid heat-transmitting medium in said space, and pumping means immediately adjacent one of said casings for forcibly circulating said'fiuid heat-transmitting medium through said space.

IRA B. LAWYER. 

